Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-06-15
WANTED TO BE A WIDOW.
She is Now Anxiously Awaiting the Death
OF Her Husband.

| She is Now AnxiOusly Awaiting Uhe Do|o
| OF Her Husband.
| From the San Francisco Examiner.
Miss Lily E. Brown, Of Oakland, on
coming OF age last October, received g.
fortune of $4,000 from her fathers
estate. The possession OF this money
inspired her with g. desire to enjoy lie
freed from the restraints imposed up
on young spinsters by sociai conven-
tionalities. She proposed to g. TREND,
g. widow, that they take pleasure
trip to the Yosemite together. Ihe
widow assented, suggesting that II
they could both travel as WIDOWS
their ENJOYMENT of the trip would be
greatly enhanced. ga widow" she
slyly insinuated, "Can 60 about With
freedom, firt and have lots OF tun,
but g. young girl has to be careful.
Miss Brown was greatly taken by the
idea. eff one could only become O.
widow without first being q wife ="
she sighed.
Another friend, Capt. Richard APP
gar. who lived with his wife at the
hotel, when appraised OF the amblUlon
of the heiress, laughed and SAID:
"Why. nothing could be easier.
| There are hundreds of men dying IN
San Francisco all the time. I'll hnd
you one" The would-be widow
hailed the captains brilliant idea with
delight. He proved as good as his
word. Going to DR.. Arson A. DuPuy,
O. friend of his, he asked that physician
! if he knew of man not likely to live
more than couple of weeks who
would be willing to marry rich
maiden, DESTROYS Of changing her state
to that of charming young widow:
81 have just the man." said DR..
DuPuy. "Frank Mckee, young
printer, whom I am treating for con-
sumption, is almost dying. Only
your young lady Will have to hurry
the nuptials, for he may not last two
days" Next day the marriage was
performed at the DOCTORS office by B.
Justice of the peace. After the cere-
mony the almost unconscious groom
was taken back home and put to bed.
Since then his bride has been I'M
patiently waiting for him to die. She
has even provided sums amounting to
1000 to defray the expenses OF bis
supposedly short span of life and OF q
first.class funeral when he died. DR..
|
provided with all the luxurles and
delicacies he craved out Of the money,
has evinced persistent inclination to
disappoint all the expectations built
upon the strange marriage. SO lar
from dying, he mas grown stout and
strong, and evidently has no intention
of Immediately departing this vale OF
tears.
Meeting his bride on the streets a
few weeks ago he assured her OF his
abiding love, and expressed desire
that his happiness should be crowned
by their living together. To this Mrs.
Mckee returned an indignant refusal.
Though the unreasOning man insisted
on living in violation of the under
standing that he should die speedily,
she did not dare to resist his appeal
for funds. The secret of the marriage
was we'll kept all this time, though a
blackmailer had tried to bleed the
young heiress by threats OF making it
public. On appealing to counsel she
found that she could do nothing TO
extricate herself from the dilemma.
While her husband W 10 living she was
his wife, and, although she could re-
fuse to live with him, she could not
obtain q divorce.
A reporter, calling on Mrs. Mckee,
witnessed g. strange scene. There was
q soft knock on the door, and the
lady, rising to open it, much to her
surprise was confronted by her hus-
band. He slid into g. chair with a
weary, remorseful look. His wife
withdrew few feet, and surveying the
intruder angrily, demanded IN icy
tones:
"What do you want here. sir?"
Before he could reply Mckee was
seized with violent fit of coughing.
At this Mrs. McKee's face frightened.
Hope shone in her eyes. But the
light died out as Mckee regained his
corposure, and it appeared that the
spasms were the consequence OF TO-
bacco having lodged in his throat.
"I Just wanted to let you know
that | had nothing to do with putting
it in the papers," he said, in 81 cOntrite
tone. With an exclamation of dis
gust Mrs. Mckee seated herself on an
ottoman, obviously waiting for her
unwelcome spouse togo. His jet-black
curls and pale, sad face, lit by mourn
full eyes of tenderest hazel, evidently
did not interest her. On his part,
settling himself in his chair, Mckee
continued to gaze for several minutes
with an expression OF wrapt but wo-
full devotion on the reed-like form OF
his young bride. Rising at last he
held out his hand and said "Good-
bye"
"Good-bye," she answe.ed coldly,
and without noticing the proffered
hand. In another moment he was
gone.